Jupiter's Descendant
by jewel60
Summary: This story takes place a little over 18 years after the movie and involves the offspring of Caine and Jupiter and an enemy they never dreamed of. This is the first and so far, only chapter, so if you want more PLEASE REVIEW and let me know. I have more chapters in my head waiting.
1. Chapter 1

Jupiter's Descendant

Chapter One

Gaitha woke to a soft, fragrant breeze coming through her window. Her Aunt Kalique grew the most beautiful and fragrant flora and fauna that were legend on Cerise and gave the planet a beautiful red and fuchsia coloring that could be seen as one approached the planet's atmosphere from space. It never failed to snatch her breath away and she knew that many others were equally affected when setting eyes upon it for the first time. For some, like her, it took their breath away each time they saw it. That beauty grew exponentially as one drew closer and closer to the surface of the planet. Kalique's legendary age enabled her to create this planet-wide phenomenon that enhanced it's already beautiful terrain and natural wonders such as the magnificent waterfalls surrounding Kalique's alcazar. An invitation to stay at her alcazar on Cerise was the envy of many an entitled friend or family. Gaitha herself was grateful to call this place her second home and her aunt was like a second mother to her. Today was her 18th birthday and she wondered what her aunt had planned for this day because she always threw huge and lavish birthday parties.

She, her Aunt Kalique, and her mother, Jupiter Jones-Abrasax, also the recurrence of her grandmother and Kalique's mother, Seraphi, were the only remaining primaries of the Abrasax family. Both of her uncles were deceased. Her Uncle Balem, whom she had never met, had died in his Jupiter refinery, well before her birth, when it had collapsed after a tremendous explosion. He was not talked of and this was the only information Gaitha had in regards to him though she suspected it had something to do with her mother and father. In accordance with rules and regulations, however, his tremendous wealth had been dispersed among Jupiter, Kalique, and Titus, with Jupiter, as the recurrence of the sovereign queen, receiving 50 percent of his holdings and both Kalique and Titus splitting the remaining 50 percent.

She really missed her Uncle Titus and Aunt Azrielle. Her Uncle Titus had changed his life following Balem's death, marrying her Aunt Azrielle, who had a considerable fortune of her own, and he built upon his supplemented inheritance by funding a project that had ultimately revealed a way to make Regenex that did not require the death of even one human being. She knew he had been a bit of a playboy before Balem died but his brother's death and meeting Azrielle were seemingly the two events that had driven Titus to change the direction of his life, something her mother and father found ironic given he had lied to her mother when her gene print was first verified and he had kidnapped her, telling her he would change his life if she married him. That little stunt had seen him incarcerated for 16 months. Unfortunately, Titus and Azrielle had died 2 years ago in a tragic accident when their clipper had exploded during portaling. Debris had spread so far and wide it had never been conclusively determined what had caused the clipper's malfunction. Kalique, Jupiter, and Gaitha had become the sole inheritor's of Titus and Azrielle's estate as they had produced no heirs at the time of their deaths and Azrielle had no living relatives.

After her Uncle Balem's death, and all the attempts to deprive her mother of her fortune and her life, the harvesting of human beings to create Regenex had become illegal; much like slavery had been eradicated on Earth. Titus, once released from the part of Deadland reserved for entitled criminals, ironically had finished what his mother had started when she began her goal of stopping the harvesting of humans to make the serum. Since Titus owned the patent for the new Regenex-II, the other families whose wealth was directly tied to the harvesting and refining of the solution using humans saw their wealth diminishing until they too discovered how to make a new Regenex. Unfortunately for them, their products they were inferior to that which Titus had created. The house of Abrasax was now **the** most powerful dynasty in the universe. The Aegis and the Legion's skyjacker's were kept busy with the continued illegal production of Regenex using the old "recipe" by some of those previously wealthy families and a few lone, self-titled entrepreneurs, who were really just criminals.

Gaitha had asked her aunt what happened to all the remaining stores of Regenex from the old recipe. Kalique had told her that they had become priceless but most families had to keep the majority of it for themselves so they could wait out the time it would take to find another way to make their own version of Regenex. Their inventories were carefully monitored by the Aegis to make sure there were no bootleg supplies of the original Regenex circulating from illegal refineries continuing to produce it. Census numbers were also instituted to monitor the number of human populations on the planets that belonged to those wealthy families who might be trying to get around the obstacle of having to find another way to make it.

Gaitha stifled a giggle as she returned to the present and allowed Sendi, her chamber presence when her mother was not with her, to attend her before she raced down to meet her aunt and have breakfast. She couldn't wait for this day to begin because she knew she was going to be treated like a queen all day today. She would be inundated with gifts but the one she really wanted was a Phantom planet jumper. It was big enough to bring her friends with her but small enough that it wasn't unwieldy to handle and it was easy to operate. She couldn't portal with it but she didn't care because her mother allowing her to have a planet jumper was going to be difficult enough. Dragar, the Sargorn she raised after he was orphaned at birth, was with her wherever she went so she didn't know why her mother worried so much. He had been trained in combat by her father who was the best soldier in the Legion, so his ability to protect her was not questioned by anyone, except her mother. Her father had also trained Gaitha and her mother so they could protect themselves better than most would expect of those who were entitled. She rolled her eyes when she thought of her mother's over protectiveness.

"It's your birthday, a happy day, so why are you rolling your eyes?" Her aunt was sitting at the breakfast table which overlooked a beautiful garden that had a small waterfall that fed into a stream that threaded its way through the riotously colored flowers and plants.

"I was just thinking about my mother having a scowl on her face for most of today because she already thinks I am spoiled beyond salvation."

"Come now Gaitha, you know that is only because your mother worked hard in her life before she met your father and she still works hard, just at a different, quite important, job" Kalique gave Gaitha a chiding look but Gaitha could see the smile her aunt was trying to cover with her napkin.

Gaitha was actually Kalique's sister because of the recurrence but it was much easier for Gaitha to think of Kalique as her aunt, her mother as her mother, Aleksa Bolotnikov as her grandmother, and her father, Caine Wise, at least, was really her father. Gaitha loved them all fiercely, including her godparents, Stinger and Kiza Apini as well as Dragar, her Sargorn. Gaitha smiled and shook her head because things could take another twist in terms of relatives as Stinger was taking a strong liking to Aleksa.

Her aunt placed her napkin next to her plate and rose from her seat. "Gaitha please join me in the south garden when you are through with your breakfast. There is something I wish to show you." She turned and walked gracefully from the room.

Gaitha wanted to be able to glide the way it seemed her aunt could glide when she walked in or out of a room but she felt like she walked in an awkward, stilted gait in comparison. That thought was quickly chased away by the rising excitement she felt because she felt sure she was about to receive the first of her presents.

4


	2. Chapter 2-3

Jupiter's Descendant

Chapter One

Gaitha woke to a soft, fragrant breeze coming through her window. Her Aunt Kalique grew the most beautiful and fragrant flora and fauna that were legend on Cerise and gave the planet a beautiful red and fuchsia coloring that could be seen as one approached the planet's atmosphere from space. It never failed to snatch her breath away and she knew that many others were equally affected when setting eyes upon it for the first time. For some, like her, it took their breath away each time they saw it. That beauty grew exponentially as one drew closer and closer to the surface of the planet. Kalique's legendary age enabled her to create this planet-wide phenomenon that enhanced it's already beautiful terrain and natural wonders such as the magnificent waterfalls surrounding Kalique's alcazar. An invitation to stay at her alcazar on Cerise was the envy of many an entitled friend or family. Gaitha herself was grateful to call this place her second home and her aunt was like a second mother to her. Today was her 18th birthday and she wondered what her aunt had planned for this day because she always threw huge and lavish birthday parties.

She, her Aunt Kalique, and her mother, Jupiter Jones-Abrasax, also the recurrence of her grandmother and Kalique's mother, Seraphi, were the only remaining primaries of the Abrasax family. Both of her uncles were deceased. Her Uncle Balem, whom she had never met, had died in his Jupiter refinery, well before her birth, when it had collapsed after a tremendous explosion. He was not talked of and this was the only information Gaitha had in regards to him though she suspected it had something to do with her mother and father. In accordance with rules and regulations, however, his tremendous wealth had been dispersed among Jupiter, Kalique, and Titus, with Jupiter, as the recurrence of the sovereign queen, receiving 50 percent of his holdings and both Kalique and Titus splitting the remaining 50 percent.

She really missed her Uncle Titus and Aunt Azrielle. Her Uncle Titus had changed his life following Balem's death, marrying her Aunt Azrielle, who had a considerable fortune of her own, and he built upon his supplemented inheritance by funding a project that had ultimately revealed a way to make Regenex that did not require the death of even one human being. She knew he had been a bit of a playboy before Balem died but his brother's death and meeting Azrielle were seemingly the two events that had driven Titus to change the direction of his life, something her mother and father found ironic given he had lied to her mother when her gene print was first verified and he had kidnapped her, telling her he would change his life if she married him. That little stunt had seen him incarcerated for 16 months. Unfortunately, Titus and Azrielle had died 2 years ago in a tragic accident when their clipper had exploded during portaling. Debris had spread so far and wide it had never been conclusively determined what had caused the clipper's malfunction. Kalique, Jupiter, and Gaitha had become the sole inheritor's of Titus and Azrielle's estate as they had produced no heirs at the time of their deaths and Azrielle had no living relatives.

After her Uncle Balem's death, and all the attempts to deprive her mother of her fortune and her life, the harvesting of human beings to create Regenex had become illegal; much like slavery had been eradicated on Earth. Titus, once released from the part of Deadland reserved for entitled criminals, ironically had finished what his mother had started when she began her goal of stopping the harvesting of humans to make the serum. Since Titus owned the patent for the new Regenex-II, the other families whose wealth was directly tied to the harvesting and refining of the solution using humans saw their wealth diminishing until they too discovered how to make a new Regenex. Unfortunately for them, their products they were inferior to that which Titus had created. The house of Abrasax was now **the** most powerful dynasty in the universe. The Aegis and the Legion's skyjacker's were kept busy with the continued illegal production of Regenex using the old "recipe" by some of those previously wealthy families and a few lone, self-titled entrepreneurs, who were really just criminals.

Gaitha had asked her aunt what happened to all the remaining stores of Regenex from the old recipe. Kalique had told her that they had become priceless but most families had to keep the majority of it for themselves so they could wait out the time it would take to find another way to make their own version of Regenex. Their inventories were carefully monitored by the Aegis to make sure there were no bootleg supplies of the original Regenex circulating from illegal refineries continuing to produce it. Census numbers were also instituted to monitor the number of human populations on the planets that belonged to those wealthy families who might be trying to get around the obstacle of having to find another way to make it.

Gaitha stifled a giggle as she returned to the present and allowed Sendi, her chamber presence when her mother was not with her, to attend her before she raced down to meet her aunt and have breakfast. She couldn't wait for this day to begin because she knew she was going to be treated like a queen all day today. She would be inundated with gifts but the one she really wanted was a Phantom planet jumper. It was big enough to bring her friends with her but small enough that it wasn't unwieldy to handle and it was easy to operate. She couldn't portal with it but she didn't care because her mother allowing her to have a planet jumper was going to be difficult enough. Dragar, the Sargorn she raised after he was orphaned at birth, was with her wherever she went so she didn't know why her mother worried so much. He had been trained in combat by her father who was the best soldier in the Legion, so his ability to protect her was not questioned by anyone, except her mother. Her father had also trained Gaitha and her mother so they could protect themselves better than most would expect of those who were entitled. She rolled her eyes when she thought of her mother's over protectiveness.

"It's your birthday, a happy day, so why are you rolling your eyes?" Her aunt was sitting at the breakfast table which overlooked a beautiful garden that had a small waterfall that fed into a stream that threaded its way through the riotously colored flowers and plants.

"I was just thinking about my mother having a scowl on her face for most of today because she already thinks I am spoiled beyond salvation."

"Come now Gaitha, you know that is only because your mother worked hard in her life before she met your father and she still works hard, just at a different, quite important, job" Kalique gave Gaitha a chiding look but Gaitha could see the smile her aunt was trying to cover with her napkin.

Gaitha was actually Kalique's sister because of the recurrence but it was much easier for Gaitha to think of Kalique as her aunt, her mother as her mother, Aleksa Bolotnikov as her grandmother, and her father, Caine Wise, at least, was really her father. Gaitha loved them all fiercely, including her godparents, Stinger and Kiza Apini as well as Dragar, her Sargorn. Gaitha smiled and shook her head because things could take another twist in terms of relatives as Stinger was taking a strong liking to Aleksa.

Her aunt placed her napkin next to her plate and rose from her seat. "Gaitha please join me in the south garden when you are through with your breakfast. There is something I wish to show you." She turned and walked gracefully from the room.

Gaitha wanted to be able to glide the way it seemed her aunt could glide when she walked in or out of a room but she felt like she walked in an awkward, stilted gait in comparison. That thought was quickly chased away by the rising excitement she felt because she felt sure she was about to receive the first of her presents.

4

Chapter Two

Gaitha squealed with delight when she saw the Phantom Planet Jumper with a huge glittering gold bow on it. The Phantom was in a beautiful teal color that she loved. She knew her aunt would have had to get it custom painted that color and she could see the tell tale glitter of tears in her aunts eyes. Gaitha ran to her and hugged her hard.

"I'll presume from the way you are squeezing me out of my skin, you like it."

"I love it! How on earth did you get my mother to let you get it for me?"

Gaitha walked around her gift marveling at its beauty and the fact that it was hers.

"Oh I did the smart thing, I let your father know I wanted to get it for you and let him talk your mother into it."

Gaitha giggled, "Smart move Auntie but you know she will call you a coward later when she sees you don't you?"

"Oh undoubtedly, I wouldn't expect anything less from your mother."

Gaitha knew that her aunt and her mother would do their "pretend" quarrel and would fool no one. They got along famously and Gaitha's mother spent every spare moment, which were few given her duties, here on Cerise with her Aunt Kalique.

Gaitha could not contain her excitement.

"Oh please tell me I can take it for a short jaunt?" She looked hopefully at her aunt.

"You know that your mother and I would really have a quarrel if I let you take it out before they arrive later. Especially without a chaperone."

Drat! Gaitha knew Dragar had to be with the Aegis today to help with a poaching situation on Kandaria and would not be back until much later, if at all today. Her aunt called them chaperones but really it was really a bodyguard and almost always Dragar.

"Send the owl with me then," she pleaded.

"Gaitha," came her aunt's admonition, "Please do not call Malidictes 'the owl', you know how much he dislikes it and I am none to fond of it either. He is the best minister in the Universe and I am lucky to have him."

"Why in heaven's name did you show it to me now if I couldn't try it out?" Gaitha pretended to be cross with her aunt and in fact she was a little. Her aunt knew she had little patience when she was this excited and by the abashed look on her aunt's face, she was remembering this little virtue that seemed to have skipped Gaitha altogether.

"Gaitha you know both your mother and father would have my head!"

Yes, Gaitha knew this but she could see that her aunt was about to capitulate and she pressed her advantage.

"What if I promised just to circle Cerise and not to jump anywhere yet until Dragar can be with me?" Surely her aunt would be okay with this compromise, thought Gaitha.

"Only if you absolutely promise me you will do nothing else and return here straight away. I want you to have constant contact with Gavidon and if we go for more than twenty minutes without hearing from you, I will send out the entire Aegis to retrieve you and you will never live the embarrassment down." Kalique gave her niece the sternest of looks.

"I promise. I swear it!" She rushed to her aunt and hugged her fiercely, thanking her profusely as well. She took her aunt at her word because she would indeed send all the Aegis for her and contact her parents immediately. No, for once, she would do exactly as instructed and not let time get away from her.

"Very well then, I will have Gavidon show you the controls and give you a quick tutorial even though I know you are familiar with how to pilot a jumper."

Gaitha was far too happy to be able to go for a small ride to care about this small inconvenience. She walked around her jumper again, only much more slowly this time, taking in its beauty and elegance while she waited for Gavidon to arrive at the dock.

Chapter Three

When Gavidon had finished the tutorial and disembarked, Gaitha carefully maneuvered the jumper out of the dock and into the beautiful day the planet had given her for her birthday. She decided she would take a turn around Cerise first before heading into an orbit around the planet. She informed Gavidon of this and used the automatic pilot to set a course for this so she could gaze out the window at this planet she loved. She turned on some classical music, a favorite her mother had introduced to her, and watched in awe as the planet went by.

She made sure to contact Gavidon every twenty minutes as instructed but her mind was busy figuring a way to do this without actually having to do it. Gaitha knew that Gavidon would not try to strike a conversation with her so anything he asked her would be related to if everything were working okay or if there were anything she was concerned with. Easy enough questions to answer with "Everything is splendid", or "I couldn't be happier". So she instructed the computer to record several phrases, as well as neutral answers to any possible questions Gavidon might ask. She would screen incoming messages anyway in case she was told to return because her parents were arriving or if she was simply told to return.

Having done everything the way she wanted, the jumper set off for space just outside the planet's atmosphere. Gaitha loved space and everything in it. She again set a course with Gavidon and set the autopilot, deciding to take a little time to tour the inside of the jumper before returning and enjoying the view of space and Cerise from her current position. She knew no expense would have been spared in terms of equipping the jumper with extras, much like a car being "loaded". She grew excited again as she started through the com-room door to the rest of the ship.

She thought it funny that she was thinking of her jumper as being small when it was anything but small. It was just small when compared to other ships, especially the really big ships like the clipper her uncle Titus had before his untimely death. The jumper was equipped with a fully stocked galley with freezer, pantry, and a kitchenette if one did not want to eat in the dining room. There was an entertainment room, a library that doubled as a den, two large bedrooms and a master bedroom which had its very own Jacuzzi, bathroom, and several other features that would more than fulfill every teenager's dreams. She also knew this model could be equipped with portaling capacity installation if that were desired at any point, which of course she would want in the future. There was so much to take in that she knew it would be some time before she found every special touch that her aunt had equipped this present with. One of them had been the small atrium off the dining room that was filled with the most lush and beautiful plants along with floor length windows surrounding it that were currently shuttered but with the touch of a button those shutters rose and retracted into the structure of the ship. She was absolutely astounded and would have to hug her aunt again for this truly marvelous gift when she returned.

Gaitha had watched space from the beautiful vantage given by the huge windows in the atrium before deciding she should return to the com-room and set a return course. Much as she would have loved to stay out here for days on end, she knew she would be kept busy with the party that night and was glad of this quiet solitude before having to switch to party mode which she would happily do. The smile on her face as she returned to the com-room slowly changed to an expression of confusion as she entered to find a Sargorn standing in the middle of the room, dwarfing it by its size and watching her as she faltered and came to a stop just inside the doorway.


	3. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The Sargorn standing in front of her was the biggest she had ever seen with the exception of her own Dragar. However this Sargorn was much older and looked as if he had been in many battles. A third of his tail was missing and he looked to have an artificial right wing, a wing that looked like her father's and Stinger's. She took a deep breath to calm herself before she spoke.

"Who are you and what are you doing on my ship?"

The Sargorn did not answer her question and said instead, "All your questions will be answered soon."

He gave a guttural growl at the end of his sentence. She slowly put a hand behind her back to try and reach her mini mauler that she always carried no matter where she went but the Sargorn strode forward surprisingly quick and seized her arm. She cried out at the pain of his strong grip.

"I don't think so your ladyship," and he pulled the gun from in back of the waistline of her pants.

He pulled her with him as he exited the pilot room and dragged her through the Jumper to her quarters and shoved her in causing her to fly across the room. As luck would have it she landed on her bed but then she thought there was no luck to it because this Sargorn knew exactly what he was doing. She momentarily chastised herself for not waiting and having a chaperone come with her.

"Give me any other weapons you have on you or I will frisk you to get them."

The thought of his scaly hands on her caused her to shudder. She rose from her bed and pulled her knife from its scabbard around her ankle and gave it to him.

"Is this everything?"

She raised her arms and turned in a circle in front of him. Her clothes were too form-fitting for her to hide anything else with the exception of her other ankle which she showed him as well. He eyed her for a moment before nodding his head slightly.

"You will remain here until my master comes to see you."

With that he hit the door's control panel and the door swooshed shut. She heard him enter a code on the other side and she knew that she was locked in. They seemed to have taken the liberty to utilize her own jumper's control pads against her. She was angered by the thought that such liberty's had been taken with her own birthday present.

"Damn!"

She wasn't really frightened, at least not yet. She had inherited much of her father's fearlessness but also his wisdom. She knew she couldn't take on the Sargorn, not unless it was a surprise attack. She returned to her bed and sat down looked around the room. She knew there would be a hidden cache that would have another gun in it, that is if they hadn't already found it. She was hopeful though because she knew that it would be hidden carefully but she had her mother's quick mind and knew the sort of places her aunt would have chosen to hide it. She gazed at everything and saw several places she could try. She didn't know how much time she had before the Sargorn returned with his "master".

She searched the room and finally found the secret hiding spot. There was a border of bas-relief flowers around the top of the wall that had small raised buttons in the middle and she pressed each one until one of the gave ever so slightly and opened a small compartment that looked like it was part of the design. If Gaitha had not known her aunt so well she would never have found the button, let alone the compartment just by looking. She let her breath out in a sigh of relief when she saw that they had not found it. She took the mini mauler and the rest of the contents out of the hiding place. She looked down at the items in her hand and smiled before hiding everything on her person except the gun. She would have to wear her jacket if she hoped to hide it and she did not want to raise suspicion by putting it on. She slid the mini mauler into an inside placket of her jacket. She would have to hope that the other items would at the very least buy her some time or that she could find a reasonable excuse to put the jacket on.

Gaitha swore at herself for not waiting to have her aunt tell her all the important places she needed to know about for her protection but there was no way she or her aunt would think a small jaunt around the planet would put her at risk. She knew there would be a panic room but she had no idea where it might be. She looked around the room again and tried several places she thought might yield a clue but she was unsuccessful. She didn't know how much time she had left but she knew it probably wasn't too much longer.

Gaitha thought about all the rooms she had been through and tried to picture them all in her head to try and build a schematic. She knew she had not been through the ship enough yet to really see the whole blueprint accurately in her head that might give her a clue as to where the panic room might be. She knew that soon she would be missed when Gavidon got suspicious about her messages or too much time had passed and she should have returned to get ready for her party. Her only hope was that she knew that there would be a tracker on the ship that would let Gavidon know her exact location. She had a good many outs and she knew her father could track her scent. This calmed her a bit more.

Suddenly the door hissed and opened to show what appeared to be some type of spliced human and the Sargorn behind him.

"Happy Birthday your Ladyship."


	4. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Gaitha struggled not to laugh at what she saw before her. He was obviously a splice but he was tiny and had a thin nose that was red on the tip, ears that stood out sideways, buck teeth, and tiny little feet. She was reminded of a "dandy" from some of the history and books she had read. Completing that picture was the white wig he had on his head with the curls reminiscent of the wigs worn by British Parliament. Even his voice was a little high. No wonder he needed a large Sargorn to protect him.

"Who are you and what do you want from me?" Gaitha asked.

"I want nothing from you my dear, but I do want something from your mother and your father, something they took from me a long time ago. I see you do not recognize me so I don't believe your mother has told you how she killed my Lord."

"If what you say is true then I think that my mother had no choice and it was self-defense. She would never intentionally murder someone."

"Believe what you will your Ladyship but to me it was murder. My name is Chicanery Knight and I worked for Lord Balem. My friend Greeghan here wants something from your father as well. Your father nearly killed him but I came along to free him from the hanging trap your father left him in after he maimed him."

From Greeghan came a deep growl that gave Gaitha goose bumps.

"What does all this have to do with me?"

"You are simply a means to an end my dear."

"You are going to ransom me and then kill me." Gaitha had no illusions about whether they would let her live or not and she believed that would likely set a trap for her parents.

"No you are too valuable to kill, not right away anyway. But you are quick and yes we are going to demand a ransom. Your parents destroyed an extremely productive refinery and caused the loss of millions in revenue from the Regenex produced there."

"Jupiter," breathed Gaitha.

"Yes, your father's zeal to rescue your mother caused the destruction of the refinery and your mother took the person who paid me well for my work and my loyalty. Lord Balem was a bit of a perfectionist and quite the snob but the pay was well worth putting up with his particular idiosyncrasies."

"If you were paid so well why do you need more and why did you wait so long to do this?"

"You were a well guarded child and we had to wait for the opportunity we needed to present itself. It finally did when we intercepted the delivery of your planet jumper and had our own people deliver it with us secretly ensconced inside it. When I learned that Lady Kalique was having it delivered to her alcazar I knew she would give it to you before your father could be there to inspect it which he surely would have demanded to do."

Gaitha knew this rat-like splice was right, If her father had been there, not only would he have inspected it, he would have come with her and brooked no resistance from her which she would not have given him anyway as she would have loved to have him with her on her first jaunt in her new jumper. She said nothing in response to his declarations.

"I will be happy to answer any other questions if you like. "

Gaitha looked him straight in the eye. "You know my father will hunt you down and kill you don't you?"

This time that rat didn't respond but instead she heard the harsh growl of Greeghan who said, "I look forward to it."

The rat simply smiled at her.

"You have all that you might need in here I believe?"

Gaitha did indeed have whatever she might need as she also had a stocked mini-fridge in her room. Gaitha also knew how she couldn't smell them when she had entered and gone through the jumper. She was close enough now to they had no scent at all and must have used a bonding sealant on themselves that covers them completely so their scent can not be detected. But she also knew they could not use it for more than about 4 hours at a time or they would die. Their pores would not be able to breathe. She knew they must have had to constantly wipe their scent in between or she would have detected it. But she knew her nose wasn't as good as her father's and they would have less of a chance of evading his tracking abilities.

"You do know that this jumper cannot portal right?" Gaitha thought this would be to her father's advantage as well as hers.

"Oh but we can. My gift to you for your birthday," snickered the rat.

Gaitha's heart skipped a beat at this news and she stared at the rat, trying to reign in her sudden fear. The rat gave her a wicked smile and once again locked her in her room.


	5. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

After the door closed Gaitha blew a breath of relief and knew she needed to come up with a plan. She went to the bed and emptied her pockets and pulled out some items she had hidden in her bra from the safe and took inventory. She lined the items up on the bed to decide which ones she wanted to use without notice from either the rat or the Sargorn. There was a cyanide and mini-oxygen capsule, a wristwatch with several functions. One was a wire garrote that could be removed, a tracking device she could enable for her parents to pinpoint her current location, and a laser beam. There was a locket with a camera she could activate and a bracelet that was also a dart gun. She went back to the safe to retrieve one item she had left in the safe which was a perfume bottle that was actually a flame-flower. She didn't know if she would be able to use this particular item but she put it on the dresser anyway just in case. She returned to the bed and took the locket and put it on along with the bracelet and watch, switching it with the one she already had on. She pulled her long sleeves down over them and hoped that they wouldn't notice the locket but she felt sure that they weren't likely to have remembered if she was wearing one or not. She knew that unless she had need of her jacket, the mini-mauler couldn't help her as it would be easily seen.

She felt a little more secure now that she was armed with items that she could use in her defense. She took the two capsules and put them in her mouth securing them between her gum and cheek, one on each side, so she would not accidentally bite down on one of them before she was ready. It would be easy enough to maneuver them in place when she needed them. She also knew that if she used the cyanide capsule she would have to hold her breath after the exhale and spit the capsule out quickly before biting the mini-air supply capsule. She knew the capsule would also have a cell-blocker that would neutralize any traces of cyanide in her mouth.

Now that she had armed herself she once again looked around the room. She wondered if there was something else here she was missing that might be useful. She needed every advantage she could get. Her eyes stopped at the vent in the wall above the bed. She climbed on the bed and put her hand up near the vent. It was just as she thought, she didn't feel any air. She looked around the bottom of the walls and could only feel the air coming in; there were no vents visible but the one above the bed. She didn't know how much time she had before the rat and his lizard came back. She scrambled back onto the bed and felt around the vent for a catch that would open it like a door. Her fingers found it inside the frame and she pushed it. The vent swung open and she lifted herself in. Her fitness routine was definitely coming in handy. Once inside, she had just enough room to turn around. She closed the vent which was backed with black matte vinyl to give the impression of it being a real vent. It would take them a minute or two to figure it out. She didn't think the rat or the lizard were likely to be bright, although rats were know to be able to run a maze but that was usually for a treat at the end. This rat would not smell anything to lead him to the vent. She knew it would have been treated to give off a mist that would erase her scent from it.

Gaitha knew she was going to have to make a mental map in her head if she were to be able to navigate around the jumper because she had no doubt that the shaft she was in would lead to every room in the ship, including the com-room where she would at least be able to hear what the rat and lizard were talking about. She tried to remember her way to the com-room from her bedroom and this was confirmed when she hear the gravelly voice of the lizard. She gently pulled the vinyl backing away just enough to see the rat and lizard several feet in front of her but with their backs turned towards her. She mentally thanked her aunt and whoever had followed her instructions on the building of this marvel.

"So what is the plan Master Knight?"

"I believe sufficient time has passed that the girl's parents are now worried as to her whereabouts especially since the tracking beacon has been disabled."

Gaitha had figured as much but didn't want to turn on the one on her watch until she was away from her current position. It felt too close for comfort and she was afraid she would give herself away with sudden movement or noise. She knew the shaft would have been insulated for this but she still didn't want to take the chance.

The rat, which Gaitha felt was a twitchy little bastard spoke again. "I think we should wait just a little while longer before we make contact. We need to put a little more distance between us and them."

"We could portal," the gravelly voice again.

"I would rather do that after we make contact just in case they have somehow managed to pinpoint our location now. When we do portal they won't be expecting it."

"What about the girl?"

"I am sure her parents will want proof of life and we will give it to them."

"And after?"

"She can't be left alive. We will leave her body on this ship when we transport to our own after getting the ransom."

"Caine will never give you the ransom without the girl alive."

"I have a plan for that."

Gaitha did not wait around to hear more. When they made contact with her aunt and parents they would certainly come and get her to give that 'proof' of life. She needed to find the panic room if she could before they came for her and she couldn't waste any more time listening. She eased herself around and made her way back the way she had come, speeding up when she felt they would no longer be able to hear her.

She stopped long enough to turn the tracking device in the watch on and then the camera on the locket.

"Hello, can anybody hear me?" she whispered as she again started to move.


	6. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Lady Kalique was engrossed in party preparations and had lost track of time but realized suddenly that she had not seen Gaitha. She should have been back by now. At the same time Maledictes found her and told her that Gavidon was frantically trying to locate her. Kalique fairly flew to the com-room.

"What's happened?" she cried, hand to her breast and panic on her face.

"My Lady, I have not had any communication from Lady Gaitha in about twenty minutes!"

Gavidon and most of Lady Kalique's entourage and employees were fond of Gaitha and Gavidon, though not yet fearful, certainly looked concerned.

"What about the tracking beacon, can't you locate her with that?"

"The tracking beacon fell off our radar about ten minutes after that. I have been trying to hail her for the last ten minutes and am getting no response."

Lady Kalique drew a deep breath and steadied herself.

"Keep trying and send an FTL to Caine and Jupiter who are likely on their way here as we speak. Make sure you leave a channel open for the tracking signal from the wristwatch which I hope she has found if she is indeed in trouble."

She dared not to even think it.

"Yes my Lady."

"Make sure that you also monitor the locket camera."

She turned to Maledictes. "Dragar should be back by now, see if you can find him and tell him to get ready to join her Majesty, Caine, and myself by the docking bay. We will start the search as soon as they arrive."

She turned back to Gavidon.

"Contact me immediately with any new developments," and with that she flew from the room, heading toward the bay she knew that Jupiter and Caine would be docking at any minute now.

By the time Kalique got to the docking bay Caine and Jupiter, followed by Stinger Apini and his daughter Kiza were disembarking from their clipper. She quickly explained the situation. Caine was angry as Kalique knew he would be.

"You did what" he thundered, "and without anyone else with her?"

Jupiter intervened, "Caine it is going to help her if we sit here and argue about this now." Caine turned to look at her and immediately became calm. Jupiter was the only one who could calm him when he became this angry but she was like a balm that soothed the lycantant in him. Stinger was quickly caught up to them as he overheard the conversation.

Kalique spoke again, "Caine if she is in trouble she will keep a level head. I equipped her with everything I thought she might need in that jumper, including a camera locket and a multi-function wrist watch. She is well-trained, you saw to that yourself."

Caine already knew that the tracking beacon would have been disabled, his gut told him this was no mere ship malfunction and that there was someone else involved. He also knew by the lack of her scent could only mean that whoever had her had de-scented the entire ship. Beyond Kalique's alcazar her scent disappeared. He turned to Stinger.

"Gear up and be ready to meet me back here in 10 minutes."

"Already on it," he said over his shoulder as he was quickly heading back to the ship.

"Gavidon heard the arrival of Caine and blurted, "Sir she just turned the tracking device in the watch on."

"Thank God," came the simultaneous voices of Kalique and Jupiter.

Suddenly the monitor for the locket-cam started up and showed the image of a shaft that was moving by the camera. A whispery voice came over the com.

"Hello, can anybody hear me?"

A sigh of relief was echoed by everyone in the room. Caine reached for the com button for the locket-cam monitor.

"Gaitha, what's going on? If you're in that shaft then something is seriously wrong."

The whispery voice ghosted through the speakers again.

"Dad" and the relief could be heard in that voice, "yeah you got that right."

"We have your tracking device on radar and we are leaving to come get you now but before we do what can you tell me?"

The Gaitha on film stopped in the shaft and they could see her legs as she stopped and sat cross-legged. Her voice came over a little stronger.

"There's a Sargorn and a twitchy little rat man who says his name is Chicanery Knight. He says you and mom killed Uncle Balem and he lost his job and means of making a living and is pretty mad. The lizard's name is Greeghan and Dad you sure did a job on him. He is missing half his tail and he has an artificial right wing. The rat-man saved him at Uncle Balem's refinery before it blew."

Caine's mouthed thinned and his eyes blazed with his barely suppressed fury. Jupiter gasped behind him. Suddenly there was a growl from behind them, causing them all to turn towards Dragar's giant form coming through the door. Caine gave him a brief nod and turned back to the com.

"We are coming to get you so sit tight." He turned to Kalique "Did you have a panic room installed?"

"Yes," was Kalique's breathy reply. "It's under the bench in the atrium; the control is on the left side of the right back leg of the bench."

"Did you hear that honey? Do you think you can get there before they know you are gone?"

They could see Gaitha uncross her legs and start to move again. "I don't remember where the atrium is, I only took a quick tour before heading back to the com-room and finding the Sargorn."

Kalique quickly interjected, "Gaitha, there is a schematic of your jumper two junctions up and to your left."

"Okay I am headed there now, please hurry Dad."

The voice cracked the tiniest bit but this was the only real emotion Gaitha had revealed but it galvanized Caine and Dragar and frightened Jupiter and Kalique. Caine turned around to Dragar and the two women.

"Let's go" he growled but suddenly Gavidon yelled for Caine.

"Sir, the tracking beacon is fading, I think..I think they are portaling."

"That can't be I didn't add portaling capabilities to the jumper," came Kalique's voice.

"Well somebody certainly did."

With that Caine and Dragar followed by Jupiter and Kalique quickly headed back to the bay where Stinger was waiting. He threw a blaster which Caine deftly caught before leading the way back on board Caine and Jupiter's ship. The men working the dock barely had released the bay locks before Caine was backing the ship out and heading out the bay doors. Once clear he set a portal to her most recent coordinates. But there was nothing there. Jupiter began to cry softly and Kalique followed suit, both of them reaching out to the other for support. Caine's lips thinned and his canines showed; his growl was echoed by Dragar's.


	7. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Gaitha crawled as silently and as quickly as she could. Now that she was in the shaft she felt surprisingly more vulnerable, not less. She arrived at the 4-D schematic of the inside of her jumper and would have been thrilled to have been able to slowly go through the schematic, envisioning each of the rooms and time to discover the extras her aunt would have put in this marvel of a birthday present. She didn't have that luxury, and so she scanned the schematic to find the atrium and how to get to it from her current location.

Gaitha made her way to the atrium with swiftness and silence she hadn't known she possessed. Her mind rolled over the fact that she had her father's genes as well as her mother's. Even now at eighteen, she found these instincts by accident and incident. She could recall a few from her interactions with peers both on Earth and then in this world of space, which bore no resemblance with the "Space Mountain" ride in Disney World she remembered from her younger years. Real space was way cooler. The ghost of a smile flitted across her lips as she remembered that theme park being her Dad's very first experience of one too.

She dropped all thought and instinctively slowed down after taking several junctions, praying she had visualized everything right and she would now be above the atrium. She had to find the vent and enter the atrium so she could find the bench with the catch for the opening to the panic room. She knew it would be cleverly concealed, likely under a beautiful square area of her aunt's most beautiful and colorful foliage.

She stopped in front of the vent; her chest feeling hard thud of her heartbeat in her chest. Her panic rose and claustrophobia set but she fought the feelings down and centered, pulling in deep breaths and slowly exhaling them, feeling her muscles loosen. She knew tight muscles could become a disadvantage raising her risk of injury when she most needed an advantage.

Gaitha slowly peeled the backing of the vent out just enough to view the room from her current position and was gratified to see that the vent was in the back wall and she could see the bench just below and slightly to the front of her, as well as three quarters of the way around the room. The fourth quarter of the room had a little heavier foliage that wasn't as easy to see through. However, she didn't see any movement or telltale quivering of the vegetation to suggest someone might be hiding there. Straight ahead was the entrance and while there was no sign of anyone yet they could come into view any second. Her upper teeth were sinking into her bottom lip just short of drawing blood. Gaitha re-centered herself and opened the vent itself, scrambling down the short ladder that slid out and back perfectly from the perpendicular slot from which it slid.

As soon as her feet hit the floor, she began to move but was stopped short by the voice of the rat coming from that one quarter of the room which had not afforded her any advantage but had worked out to be an advantage to her captors. Alongside the rat came the lizard that she knew he could have easily stood over the rat-man and both would be camouflaged in that part of the room. She steeled herself as the Sargorn grabbed her arm so hard that she knew it was definitely going to leave a colorful mark on her skin which instead of making her more scared, actually made her angry. So angry she struggled for control.

Gaitha felt a peculiar calm and sense of total focus fall over her. She needed her wits about her or she was as good as dead. She knew the rat-man and the lizard didn't care if she was dead but she remembered their conversation about having to show "proof of life" so she might be safe for the moment. She didn't know how much time she had but she knew she had to stay vigilant for a chance to escape, even if she had to kill one of them. She was smart enough to know that when the time came she couldn't hesitate because it was literally them or her, and she needed to bet on her.


	8. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Gavidon updated Caine with data coming from the locket camera and fed the audio to them so they could hear her. It sounded as if she were talking under her breath to herself; her whispering voice talking her through each step. Gaitha talked and reasoned her way through with a sharpness of focus that gave Caine, Stinger and Dragar a strong feeling of hope that Gaitha could survive this. Jupiter and Kalique were emotionally seeking any fear in Gaitha's voice but Gaitha's whispering, though low, was strong, centered. A sense of pride stole over each person on the bridge of Caine and Jupiter's clipper the Gaitha, which meant "Bridge or Gate" in Samvargotha. In so many ways Gaitha was quite literally the gate between Jupiter's and Caine's worlds.

Gavidon was trying to get the video feed up to Caine but he risked giving away the tracking beacon which might be the one slight advantage they had, along with Caine's skills as a tracker. Caine reminded the women that his daughter was highly trained in self-defense from most forms of attack and yes it might have only been in simulation with himself or Dragar, but they had challenged her, not giving an inch that might mean Gaitha's death if she weren't in the training room with them, but in a highly volatile situation. He felt she had to be over-trained. He held no illusions about her value to the un-entitled people in their universe. It wasn't luck that this was the closest they had ever come to experiencing the unthinkable.

He pressed a button on the control panel and asked Gavidon if the radio silence was broken by Mr. Night on the other ship from the ship's controls then would they be able to spot Gaitha's position.

"Yes sir if I play back their voices from the archival sound data I should be able to tell the computer to match voice to beacon frequency and we will know exactly where she is.

"Can we do it without giving ourselves or Gaitha away?"

"Yes sir," Gavidon was galvanized by the thought.

Caine didn't hesitate. "Do it!"

He finally turned to Stinger and glanced back at Jupiter and Kalique and gave them just a hint of a smile.

"Now we just have to wait,"

"Why won't the locket give away the beacon?"

Jupiter was considerably calmer now as was Lady Kalique who also looked quite abashed and Jupiter knew her guilt would be huge. She did not know at the time they met that they would become great friends, so she could not be mad at Kalique. It wasn't her fault and Jupiter would never treat Kalique as badly as Kalique could treat herself.

Stinger's eyes nictitating to yellow and back again in an instant and was preceded by him beginning to talk and illustrate on the clearboard.

"Pixilated images are somewhat compromised the smaller you try to make a device like the locket that her Ladyship is wearing. Sound and image have to travel to other parts of the universe through all manner of atmospheric disturbance, magnetic soundprints, and a host of other obstacles. You heard her Ladyship whispering but I had the volume almost to the maximum or we'd never have heard her. We could try to pinpoint her from wristwatch beacon but with the images we risk giving away any advantage we might hold because it would give away our position. The locket does however, have perfect image through not only our own galaxy, but any galaxy that is adjacent to ours on any side."

Caine shot a glance to Stinger and he gave a slight nod, a message that he was grateful for Stinger's keeping the attention of Jupiter and Kalique. He could see that they were bolstered by Stinger's words. This was the calmest Caine had seen everyone since Gaitha's ship had portaled.

Jupiter appreciated the calm she felt but she noticed Kalique's rosy cheeks and that she would not look at anyone but kept her eyes cast downward.

"I knew it was a mistake but she was so excited and I got caught up in it," she finally blurted but her eyes remained fixed downward while tears spilled down her cheeks. "I will never forgive myself for putting her in this situation!"

"Kalique," Caine's voice held a resigned attitude, "If I know my daughter and I think I know my daughter, she took advantage of your soft spot for her. I am pretty sure she put herself in this situation."

Kalique was not so sure. "I should have stayed strong."

Jupiter surprised them all by bursting out laughing at the image of Kalique trying to stay strong amidst the whirlwind that was Gaitha..

"I can see the picture of how it probably went down," she paused, still giggling slightly and turned to Kalique with the sweetest of smiles and said "Caine is right Kalique, that girl could get you to let her pull the teeth out of your head."

They all laughed but Kalique was indignant which just amused the other three more. "I would never let her do that..." Kalique stared at them all with shock on her face but then added "and besides they would grow back immediately when I took a Regenex bath!" and she started to laugh herself.

There came a not uncomfortable silence when Jupiter grabbed Kalique's hand and squeezed it, "We know that you love her every bit as much as we do so stop with the guilt, it's not useful in this situation and I want that brain of helping mine. You know much more about the galaxies than I do."


	9. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Gaitha walked in front of lizard and behind the rat-man. She knew that she could jump sideways using the Sargorn's grip on her arm to support her and she could wrap her legs around the rat-man's neck and snap it. She knew her calve muscles, while slim, were very strong. She dropped the idea because then she would be at the mercy of this giant holding on to her arm. Any leverage she needed, she needed to take Greeghan out of the equation temporarily or permanently, and either way would buy her some time. She knew she could equalize the rat-man any day of the week but that was not what she had in mind for him. She was taken aback at how quickly and easily she planned to kill him. Then the memory of their voices talking about her death so casually turned her heart cold and her mind calculating. She knew she was running out of time. She was pretty sure that they were headed to the bridge where she would have to prove her life, literally.

She suddenly knew she needed to do something before they got out the atrium door. Greeghan was way too large to neutralize in close quarters and the atrium was one of the biggest rooms onboard. She could not afford the bridge to get smashed to pieces by the lizard. Walkways again were too narrow and afforded the Sargorn the advantage. Though she knew it would pose a bit of risk, as her advantage of more space would also be his, she knew she had to even the field, if only slightly. Gaitha knew he was too big to slip between the foliage from above and this lessened his advantage. His wings would only hinder him so he would more than likely come crashing down but it would give her more time to execute a plan, a plan that she didn't have at the moment but it didn't matter, it was now or get herself more easily killed in close quarters. She had to act quickly if she were going to kill one and at least neutralize the other.

The rat-man started to speak, all the while waving his hands in the air to accentuate his speech. It reminded Gaitha of some mincing mouse dressed in ruffles and waiving a handkerchief as they minced along. The kind of "dandy" that could be found in many an old Victorian era romance. She barely noticed his voice twittering away.

"When we ... destination your majesty I ... to show you to your father and ... will be over. Greeghan and I..." and he continued in that vein as Gaitha's knees buckled to the ground.

The rat-man automatically turned and reached down to help her up, which she felt sure he would do. His dress and manner suggested someone who prided themselves on being a gentleman. When his fingers touched her flesh, she gripped his arm hard and yanked him down with her for the space of the second it took her to have the cyanide capsule between her molars and bite down, exhaling the contents into the rat man's face, and the second it took her to both hold her breath and maneuver the second capsule into place, and more importantly a third second to bite down on the mini-air supply capsule and inhale it's content's into her lungs. Then the lizard jerked her upward to her feet and she used his sudden attention on the unmoving rat-man, who had collapsed to the ground, where Gaitha had released him.

She had also hoped the lizard would loosen his grip on her arm while trying to figure out what happened to the rat-man which he did on cue. Gaitha used that loosening of his grip to pull her arm free from him. She darted to his side, then in back of him, and then agilely climbed on top of him in the space of another three seconds. She shot the tranquilizer dart from the bracelet into the side of his neck, just below his jaw, and ejected the garrote from the wristwatch pulling it smoothly and quickly around Greeghan's neck as she did. Then she pulled it as tight as she could and held on, as the lizard tried everything in his considerable power to get at her or get her off. She was seated almost like a jockey, knees bent with her feet just on the edges of where his wings and his back. Her hands were tucked beneath her body; she used the tightened garrote for leverage, trying to continue tightening it. She had her nose tucked into the old, navy-colored leather jacket he wore that had a faint odor of reptile He fly to the top of the room and attempt to crush her but she knew he wouldn't. He could not use that particular maneuver without risking injury himself, especially by disabling his artificial wing, but he used his claws scraping on her upper arms and ankles as he tried to get purchase on one of them and pull her forward. She saw several cuts opening up on those limbs but could not feel them as concentrated as she was on saving her own life.

In the middle of a particularly violent move the lizard went limp and began falling to the ground. It happened so fast that Gaitha couldn't jump free from him quickly enough as he had been off of his feet when the tranquilizer hit. She was positioned sideways and they both slammed into the ground, the weight of the Sargorn on Gaitha's forearm and she both felt and heard it snap. She gave out a short scream of pain and landed with the Sargorn just missing her body but her injured forearm was under his. She knew she had to get to her feet quick. She didn't know how much time she had. She gave out another small scream when she pulled her arm from under the lizard's and then scrambled to her feet keeping her broken forearm close against her body as she did so..

All in all it was over almost before it had begun. At least it seemed that way to Gaitha as she stood for a second in the aftermath of her actions. The rat-man was dead on the floor in front of her and the lizard was unconscious behind her. She couldn't waste a second if she wanted to get into the panic room before Greeghan came to. She had no idea how long you could knock a lizard out if you first put him to sleep and then started choking him. He had trickles of blood oozing from where the wire had slid into an old scar around his neck. She now knew who had put that scar there and why. This was no ordinary lizard; however, he was the largest one she had ever seen in her life, second only to Dragar. She knew that her father had tried to kill him and even thought he had. Only because the rat-man came along to set him free was he now alive.

She choked back the tears that came from thinking of her father and Dragar. She knew her mother would be upset as well as her aunt. She didn't have the luxury of standing around and feeling sorry for herself. She wiped the tears away with her good arm and ran to the picnic bench, grabbing the right hind leg of the bench, feeling a slight rising of the frame that she tried pushed down on. Her instinct was right and she watched the whole inner square full of foliage rise up like an open elevator whose only function was to return down into the floor. She didn't wait for the platform rise all the way but stooped over and hopped on. She spun around and scanned the perimeter of the platform for the red button that would send her back down into lockdown mode. She would have total control over her own destiny at that point and was afraid of losing the hard fought advantage in the end-game.


	10. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Out of the side of her right eye Gaitha could see Greeghan's form so she turned her head to watch him and saw the flashing red button on the edge of her right field of vision. She saw Greeghan twitch as she raised her arm up and smashed the red button with her the palm of her good hand. The platform immediately started to descend, smoothly and quickly but not before she saw Greeghan's head start to turn her way. Then she was safely ensconced in the panic room. She hoped that Greeghan had not seen anything but she knew lizards had great optokinetic reflexes which, historically speaking, had helped them catch food sources easily. She didn't think you could breed the instinctive qualities out of them that fast from an evolutionary stand point even if they were civilized beings. He could have seen her.

Now that Gaitha was in the panic room she momentarily forgot the order in which she needed to do the things that needed to be done. She was still holding her injured forearm against her chest. She would splint it but first she would ice it so it wouldn't swell badly, then she needed to contact her father. After that she could attend to the bloody gashes on her ankles and calves as well as her shoulders and upper arms. The wounds stung like there were hundreds of maddened honey bees all attacking her limbs. She had to look for something for pain before cleaning her cuts and splinting her arm.

She located the first aid closet and opened it to grab the ice bag and shook it until it was cold, then she applied it to her forearm. It would last for up to 24 hours but Gaitha hoped she wouldn't need it for that long. She scanned the room for the ship's beacon and swiftly went to the control panel and turned it on. She knew that the lizard would not be able to disarm this one as it could only be done or undone in the panic room. She also hit the switch that locked the panic room so that even if Greeghan found the outside switch he wouldn't be able to use it.

Gaitha returned to the first aid closet and found the pain medication. It was hard to open with one hand so she put the bottle between her knees and finally got the cap off. She carefully shook two pills into her mouth, put the bottle down, and swallowed them with some bottled water from the closet. She then grabbed bandages, gauze, a cleaning solution for her cuts and scrapes, and an arm splint that uses air to stabilize a broken limb. She waited a few moments until she felt the fast-acting pain medication starting to work.

Once she felt the medication kick in Gaitha set to work, first sliding the splint around her forearm, securing it, and then pushing the button for the auto-air pump. It still hurt like hell but the splint now held her forearm securely in place. She was bruised, scraped and, in some places cut. She was grateful some of the pain was subsiding but some of the cuts were deep and would need stitches but the butterfly bandages she had applied would have to do for the time being. She surveyed her arms in the mirror on the inside part of the door and widened her eyes. She was wearing matching upper arm bruise bracelets that were the deepest shades of purple, blue, and red she had ever seen. She had never experienced this level of bruising before, but then again she had never before been a fight with a giant lizard almost twice her height. She was glad she had knocked his lizard ass out.

When she was finished Gaitha finally let herself relax a little because she knew her father was speeding here with Dragar and Stinger ready to lay waste to any further threat to her safety. It dawned on her that they likely saw everything from the vantage point of the locket but she couldn't imagine how they interpreted what they were seeing and hearing. She had forgotten she even had the locket on. She took the locket from around her neck and turned it so she was looking into the face of it. She knew he could see her but she couldn't see him.

She scrambled to put her ear plugs in place. "Dad? Dad can you hear me. Listen, I'm okay, a little banged up, but okay."

She listened through the ear plugs with the fingers of her good hand pressing lightly on one of the earplugs, trying to hear as best she could.

"Yeah, but Dad he may already be awake and waiting for you. I saw his head turning towards me when I got on the panic room elevator."

She cocked her head slightly as she listened.

"Okay, but please be careful, I think he might be really pissed!"

She could do nothing but wait it seemed. Her father had told her to sit tight and not come out of the panic room until any threat of further harm to her was gone. Gaitha didn't know if she could do it. Her eyes were already surveying the panic room looking, noting everything. She had her father's stubbornness and as she scanned the room a second time looking for the most logical place for weapons, she had already set her mind to a course of action.

She finally spied a box-shaped object protruding from the floor. It was almost touching the shelf in which the control panel was set. She walked over to it and tried to see how she might open it but she couldn't see any obvious way to do it. She looked over at the control panel and spied a button with an armory seal on it. She reached over and pressed it and the front of the box slid down into the floor. It displayed a mini-mauler and shield as well as a pair of skyjacker boots, her size of course. There was also a beam rifle, stun grenades and plenty of clips of ammo. She took the mini-mauler with two clips of ammo and several stun grenades. She put a dark vest stuffed the many pockets in it with her gear. She grabbed the skyjacker boots and put them on before turning and also taking the shield.

Gaitha knew she should stay where she was but she was scared that the Sargorn had the advantage of now knowing the ship whereas her father, Stinger, and Dragar had never been in it. However, knowing her aunt she was sure a she had an extra sheave with the schematic on it and had given it to her father.

She chewed on her lip for a minute, which was the only sign of her unease with disregarding her father's wishes. She also didn't think she could just sit and wait for rescue either. She then remembered something she didn't see the first time she saw the Sargorn but it definitely could be a vulnerability for the lizard. She needed to remind her Dad before she did anything else because she didn't know if he remembered this in his mission to save her mother from her uncle Balem almost twenty years ago.


	11. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

On the Gaitha everyone's attention was focused on the video screen and the streaming feed from the locket. Being weighted, the locket did not swing nearly as much as a regular one would have and they all watched the next ten seconds in stunned silence. Jupiter and Kalique watched in horror as Greeghan grabbed Gaitha's arm. Dragar's roar drowned their stunned their cries when Gaitha's forearm audibly snapped.

"Easy big guy," came Caine's calm, soothing voice. "She's alive and it looks like she just kicked that Sargorn's ass." He couldn't quite hide the pride in his voice.

"Yes," hissed Dragar. "I will kill him for hurting her."

"He's all yours big D. I just want my daughter back."

Jupiter and Kalique were restless, pacing the floor and looking worried. Jupiter looked up at Caine as her pacing brought her abreast of him.

"Hey," he told Jupiter pulling her to him and then kissing her gently on the lips.

"I'll bring her back okay?"

"Hey boss?" Stinger was trying to get Caine's attention. "She's inbound for Dock 1 as we speak."

"Let's go then," Caine replied. He kissed Jupiter again quickly, "We will find her and bring her back but I need you to keep an eye out in case Greeghan decides to suddenly change course and start heading this way."

Jupiter grabbed her gun and shoved it in the hip-holster down by her right thigh.

"I will head to the infirmary and ready things there," Kalique told them as she headed out of the bridge and into the corridor leading to the Infirmary.

Headed by Dragar, Caine and Stinger were approaching the outside door of Gaitha's jumper. Dragar would have used the element of surprise if he thought the other Sargorn was on the other side of the door, but Dragar didn't think this particular Sargorn would be stupid enough to position himself in such a vulnerable spot, especially if injured or still groggy from the tranquilizer dart.

When they manually overrode the door's locking mechanism, just as they thought, there was no one on the other side. Luckily, the corridor was small and they could see there wasn't anyone at the end or in the part of the bridge they could see. Once at the entrance to the bridge, Caine covered Stinger as they both stepped in to check the area while Dragar stayed in the second short corridor leading to the rest of the ship. The area was clear so they fell in behind Dragar once again as he walked down the corridor, his head almost touching the ceiling.

Caine knew they had to get to the atrium but if the Sargorn was not lying on the ground in the atrium, they might have trouble on their hands. Caine didn't need anything but his nose to find Gaitha and he could smell her scent now and the scent of her blood, which made his boil.

He cocked his ear and put his hand up as he listened to the audio feed in his ear.

"No, no I...You're right I didn't remember that. That gives us an advantage and evens the playing field. You're sitting tight waiting for me right?"

He listened again.

"Good" he said, "We're at the entrance to the atrium door and so far we see the body of Mr. Night and that's it."

He whispered to his team, "Head's up, he has no field of vision on his left side, I took that eye out when Balem died."

Just then all hell broke lose.

The whole center of the atrium was swiftly rising when Greeghan charged out of the middle of the bushes and jumped straight at Dragar. Dragar sidestepped out of most of the blow but Greeghan lashed out with the over half a tail he had left and swept the feet out from under Caine and Stinger. Dragar swiftly wrapped his tail around the other Sargorn's throat. He rose up and used his wings to get him about fifteen feet off the ground before he yanked his tail up, pulling Greeghan away from Caine and Stinger and letting the Sargorn go mid-flight. Greeghan flew several more feet forward and crashed to the ground unable to stay on his feet. He quickly got to his feet and saw movement out of the corner of his remaining eye and he turned his head sharply. Gaitha was running out of the panic room platform elevator on the opposite side of him.

Greeghan ran toward where he last saw Gaitha because he wanted Gaitha. She was the one who killed his master, who tried to kill him just like her father tried to kill him more than 20 years ago. She was the reason he lost everything and everyone. She is the symbol of all his losses and killing her would be the best revenge against Caine and Jupiter. With a roar he ran after her but only caught a glimpse of her out of his right eye. Gaitha waited until he was close enough to her and then used the gravity boots to jump in the air and let Greeghan's momentum carry him forward beneath her and then past. She knew she was now in his blind spot. She descended on him again and planted her foot in the same place as before but this time she bent down, grabbed the lizard's good wing, and pulled upward while pushing downward with her foot, breaking the wing. She heard a satisfying snap and Greeghan roared in pain and moved violently, throwing Gaitha to the ground. She heard the sound of wings and saw Dragar come down, planting his feet on Greeghan's chest and knocking him the opposite way.

Caine and Stinger ran towards the melee, guns drawn, and waited for the chance to end the Sargorn once and for all. They didn't get one though, because Dragar yanked his foe off the ground and had him in a headlock. He then took his other hand, claws extended and gouged out Greeghan's remaining eye, effectively and totally blinding him. Dragar took advantage of the Sargorn's vulnerability and ran his claws across the softer part of the neck underneath Greeghan's jaw and opened him from ear to ear. Another swipe and the Sargorn was spurting blood in time to his pulse but this gradually stopped as the reptile's life bled from him. Dragar kicked the lifeless body, making sure that the giant reptile was dead.

Caine reached Gaitha and Stinger covered them but then dropped his arm as he saw Dragar eliminating any further threat. Gaitha threw her arms around her father and hugged him tight as he picked her up. Caine checked her and there did not appear to be any further damage. However, he was upset with her and Gaitha could feel it.

"Yes I am upset with you because you put yourself at further risk by not staying put like I asked you to."

"I know but I couldn't bear to think of something happening to you all so I wanted to help."

"I know you did but there are three of us, we would have taken care of it."

Gaitha looked at him crossly, "When Dad, when he knocked you and Stinger on the ground and had Dragar on the defensive?" Then she blushed for talking so heatedly to her father.

He surprised her by laughing. "You did great Gaitha, I'm really proud of you."

With that Gaitha let him carry her out of the atrium. She was going to tell him she could walk but suddenly she felt more tired than she had ever felt in her life. It was just too comfortable and the medication was making her eyelids droop and then close. She nodded off and Caine handed her off to Dragar in whose arms she almost looked the size of a child. Caine led the way out, followed by Dragar and his slight cargo, and Stinger brought up the rear.

Once aboard the Gaitha Jupiter met them at the entrance and Dragar lowered Gaitha enough to show Jupiter she was out cold. Jupiter looked at Caine in alarm but he nodded his head negatively.

"She's fine Jupiter; she is just tired from all the activity and adrenaline, not to mention a broken arm."

"And that's it, nothing else, no other injuries?"

"Just the arm Jupiter," was Caine's soft reply.

Jupiter gently touched Gaitha's hand which felt warm to the touch and helped to lower her anxiety level. She turned and began to lead the party to the infirmary. They would be able to check Gaitha out from head to toe and take care of her broken arm.


	12. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

After Gaitha had been fully examined by the ship's doctor, she was ordered to bed rest and needed to be monitored for the next twenty-four hours. This didn't sit well with Gaitha who didn't think she would be able to endure being cooped up for the next twenty-four hours. Jupiter talked her into it by telling her that if she still felt the same in the morning they would talk with the doctor. Caine knew better and had told Jupiter that after they left she would fall asleep again and probably sleep for close to twenty-four hours. She was young but still needed some time to recharge and heal.

"Caine I want to stay here with Gaitha until we get to Kalique's alcazar." Jupiter wasn't about to let Gaitha out of her sight for the next twenty-four hours.

"Jupiter she's going to be fine," Caine insisted.

"I know but I can't bear it if she wakes up from a nightmare and I'm not there. She could have a nightmare from all that's happened today. I need to do this for me too, I can't explain it..." she trailed off.

"Hey boss," called Stinger, "why don't you let me buy you a beer?" There was a small bar in the Gaitha as it had been equipped for the travel as Jupiter and Caine liked to do.

"I don't think so Stinger..."

Jupiter nudged him, "Go ahead, go have a drink with Stinger and we will be here when you get back. Kalique and I will end up taking turns sitting with her and then talking. We won't sleep well until she is safe under lock and key at Kalique's alcazar anyway. She can be in her own room at Kalique's to recuperate."

There was an adjoining room to Gaitha's and Jupiter told Caine they would likely take turns, her and Kalique until they reached the alcazar but she knew that she and Kalique wouldn't be able to go to sleep for awhile. Jupiter knew they would end up processing this and talking about everything all night. She also knew that Dragar would remain in front of Gaitha's door for those twenty-four hours that Gaitha would be in her room.

At the NITE OWL Stinger and Caine were processing the events of the day but differently than the women did. The women would go over every part of what they saw and all the dangers that could have been. Caine and Stinger would go over every move Gaitha had made that showed the training time they had with her and how it had paid big dividends. The arm was the least of the injuries Gaitha could have received and was quickly healed with the help of Regenex 2. The one thing they all agreed on though, was how damn proud they were of her.

Caine was right. While Gaitha did not sleep the whole twenty-four hours as predicted, she did sleep a good eighteen. Jupiter, Caine, Kalique, Stinger, and Dragar were all gathered in Gaitha's room. Kalique and Jupiter were planning when to re-do Gaitha's eighteenth birthday party. Caine and Stinger were planning a new training routine that took into account the experiences Gaitha had the day before while Dragar simply watched them all. They all spoke low enough from across the room so that they would not wake Gaitha. They were all surprised when they heard her voice.

"What's for breakfast?"

"I will tell the chef to make you whatever you want after the doctor sees you," replied Jupiter as she, Kalique, and the others walked over to Gaitha's bedside.

Gaitha's next question floored them all.

"Okay, so when do you think my jumper will be cleaned and repaired?" She then went on to all of them about all the wonderful things she had already found that her aunt had put into the jumper and that she was sure she hadn't found everything. She then told them all she couldn't wait to bring her friends on an excursion. She told them what they already knew such as the portaling capability that Night had installed. She rambled on as all those present looked at one another in shock and amazement.

The events of the last twenty-four hours had done little to slow Gaitha down.

THE END


End file.
